


Rose-Colored

by orphan_account



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: AARON IS A VAMPIRE!!!, F/M, M/M, as usual, everything bad that can possibly happen happens, i dont know why im writing this, i love aaron so much hes my fave character, i'll update daily cause its summer!!!, idk what im doing, murphys law lol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-11-05 07:19:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11008626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "Well, I'm not like you.""What do you mean?" He probed. He always probed.





	1. "Smitten"

Alex has been watching Aaron for a while now. The only class that the two shared was Government, and during the small time they had together, Alex was determined to figure out the mystery that was Aaron Burr. Anyone could see that Aaron was a reserved person. That wasn't to say he was unfriendly, actually quite the opposite. His good looks and gentlemanly charms made him popular with the ladies, but he seldom made any deep connections. Washington was saying something important, something that would definitely be on the final exam, but Alex's focus was totally concentrated on Aaron. He would be lying if he said he wasn't mildly attracted to him. He was incredibly good-looking, but Alex doubted that he swung that way. He tried not to get his hopes up, but the brain ultimately thinks the thoughts it wants to think without taking Alex's well-being into consideration. Alex wasn't surprised when he found himself thinking impure thoughts centering around the boy in front of him. 

 

When the period ended, Alex found himself chasing after Aaron. Not for any particular reason, he told himself. Truth be told, Alex just wanted an excuse to talk to him. He was incredibly intriguing, and anything that piqued Alex's interest was going to be investigated. No exceptions. He was almost out of breath when he finally caught up to Aaron. God, he walked so quickly. 

 

"Aaron!" He shouted, a lot louder than he needed to, he was only a couple feet from him. Aaron jumped with a start and whipped around to face Alex. He held something like fear in his eyes. Alex thought it was weird, but pressed on. 

 

"Hey, I'm Alexander Hamilton. Well, uh, just Alex. We're in the same Government class? The class we were just at? Yeah, that's the class that we have together-" Aaron cut him off hurriedly. 

 

"Nice to meet you, Alex. I'd love to chat, but," Aaron gripped his wrist tightly, praying for his cravings to settle. Not here, please. His intense hankering for human blood was not something that he wanted everyone on campus to know about. He'd hate to lose control and feed on a human. He had been subsisting on the blood of various woodland creatures for three months, and he was not about to lose his streak now. Plus, drinking human blood always made him feel more like a monster than he already was. Constantly feeling like a monster did not do wonders for his self-esteem, as someone might guess. He was still chanting his mantra of hold it in hold it in hold it in when Alex's loud voice interrupted his thoughts again. 

 

"Woah, dude. Are you okay? You look sick, no offense." Aaron backed away quickly, practically tripping over his own feet in an effort to leave the situation. 

 

"Sorry, I really have to go." And with that, Alex was left alone to watch Aaron's back disappear into the street. Something in Alex's heart fell, watching Aaron run away like that. He quickly picked himself back up again. 

 

"There's always tomorrow," he whispered to himself. He tried to be more positive about the situation, but Alex would be lying if he said he didn't think about Aaron for the rest of the day. 

 

Alex was in the middle of "studying" (which really meant thinking of Aaron) when Maria Reynolds plopped down next to him, smiling like an idiot. She reapplied her lip gloss and took a very large, exaggerated deep breath in before she uttered a single word. 

 

"Guess what!" She was really happy, the kind of happy that makes people kind of uncomfortable because it reminds them of their own unhappiness. 

 

"What happened?" Alex halfway-mumbled, mind still floating between interpretations of the Constitution and Aaron. That Government class would actually be hard. 

 

"I'm in love, Alex! Life is not all that bad, you know? You just need someone to be that light, that shining light that will guide you through the trials-"

 

"What's his name?" Alex asked. Maria fumbled for a second before looking up sheepishly, twirling a curl in her hair. 

 

"He didn't actually tell me, BUT when he ordered his coffee it had "Arinn" on it. And then I realized they probably spelled it wrong, so I'm immediately searching for him on Instagram, right? And look," she whips out her phone and points at the screen with one long red fingernail, "there he is in Jefferson's following list." Alex audibly gasped when he realized that it was Aaron. The Aaron. Hurriedly, he snatched the phone out of Maria's hand and scrolled through his feed. Lots of volunteer work and lots of posts about books. Yeesh, the guy's kind of a nerd. 

 

"Hey, it's my phone!" Alex waved her off lazily and continued to scroll. He saw a picture that of him and his two sisters, Sarah and Debbie. The caption read, "Happy 1st birthday, Debbie! I love you" followed by a string of emojis. Alex pointed to the picture and shoved it in Maria's face. 

 

"Look! He's such a nice brother." Maria pretended to look annoyed, but a smile was creeping up on her lips. She yanked her phone back and out of Alex's reach. He pouted and she pinched his cheek. 

 

"I thought I was in love with Aaron, but you're so smitten that I'll have to let him go for you." Alex's face flushed bright red and he started to furiously turn the pages of his textbook. 

 

"Me? And Aaron? You're kidding," he scoffed lightly, trying to mask him embarrassment, "he is definitely not my type." Maria placed a palm over her eyes and feigned hurt. 

 

"Truly Alex, it's fine. I'll never be satisfied." Alex hit her lightly to shut her up, but Maria yelped out loudly in mock pain. 

 

"Alex, that hurt!" Maria was so dramatic. 

 

"Yeah, it was supposed to. I'm trying to study, so you know, get lost." Someone else may have found that rude, but the bond the two shared was too tight to be shaken by a passive aggressive comment. Maria only pouted and stood up to leave, but before she left she leant down and whispered something in Alex's ear. 

 

"They say he’s got quite a big taxi, if you know what I mean.”

"MARIA!" Alex shouted, flustered. She cackles evilly and walks away, leaving Alex alone with his thoughts.


	2. "Vampyre and the Hunter"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron is suspect!!  
> They bond..? maybe idk  
> Aaron ruins it lmao

Aaron was huddled over, curling into himself. He dug his nails into his skin, drawing blood. He wasn’t thinking, he was totally incapable of thought at the present moment. There was only a dull buzz in his ears, something that always preceded each transformation. He struggled to take a single deep breath. Each inhale was incredibly taxing, draining him so much that it felt easier to just  _ not  _ breathe. He knew he could go longer, that this moment too shall pass. He only had to feed twice a week to stay alive, and his last meal had been a little less than two hours ago. Yet, he was still struggling against the monster inside him, the monster that was him. Every fiber in his being was screaming out for one thing: blood. He tried to push it down. Everything about his life  was about control. Day in and day out, it was clockwork. Thinking about suicide became like clockwork, too.

A loud ring forced him out of his trance. He sighed deeply, thankful for the alarm he had set on his phone. It was 9:00am, which meant he had thirty minutes to get to class. He brushed his teeth during his shower to save time. No breakfast. He had learned that eating human food tasted good, but didn’t compare to blood. Aaron thought about how weird that would sound if he said it out loud. 

He had to jog to class to make it on time. He was one of the last people to walk in, and the only empty seat was next to Alexander. He smiles at him before plopping down in the seat. Aaron began to busy himself with organizing his materials, preparing for the class. 

“Nice pencils! They’re mechanical, I like those ones, too. You know, because you never have to sharpen them. Sad part is that they run out of lead so quickly, and then if you don’t have and lead on you, you’re kind of fucked. You seem like the person to always have lead on you, though. The opposite of me.” Alex laughed nervously, fully aware of how stupid he just made  himself sound. Aaron only smiled at him and turned to face the front, where Washington was assigning their first major project of the school year. Aaron was listening attentively, but Alex was still ogling him.

“You will all be working with partners, which I will assign.” There was a collective groan that rumbled through the room. Washington rolled his eyes and pretended not to notice. He listed out a string of names that Aaron only half recognized. Angelica and Thomas were paired together. His only two friends in the class were removed from the equation, so now he was definitely being paired with a stranger. Angelica shot him an apologetic look over her shoulder, and he smiled sheepishly at her. 

“Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton.” Alex’s face broke out into a huge grin. It was a sign from the gods, they had changed fate to make them meet. Aaron didn’t look half as excited as Alex, but that was probably just his face, Alex reasoned. Aaron gave Alex a small smile and leant over him to write his name on the rubric they shared. Alex breathed in his scent. It was subtle, he smelled of peaches and cinnamon, but in a very masculine way. The one-sided moment was short-lived, Aaron leant back to his seat and focused on Washington again.

“I’m giving you a lot of free reign with this one. Pick any topic you want and write about it.” Mumbles of confusion ensued. Alex turned to Aaron.

“Anything? What’s the point if it doesn’t apply to the curriculum?” Aaron had an idea as to why Washington was doing this, but just nodded in response anyways. If he said something that challenge him, it would no doubt result in a debate, and Aaron really wanted to just finish the class without losing his mind.

“It’ll be due a week from tomorrow, you have plenty of time. I’m expecting excellence. Class is dismissed.” Everyone sat in their seats for a second, stunned silent. Then they all erupted into passionate conversation, tossing ideas off one another.

“Any topic, huh?” Alex mumbled to himself. Aaron was already picking up his bag and moving towards the door. Alex racked his brain for something to say, something to make Aaron stay.

“Hey, Aaron! You should come over and we can think about things to write about.” Aaron seemed hesitant and he was about to shake his head no when Alex jumped in again.

“Or we could just hang out if you don’t feel like working..?” What Alex didn’t grasp is that Aaron didn’t feel like being around him at all. Aaron would hate to be rude, though, so he nodded and waited for Alex to catch up to him.

“Lead the way,” Aaron said and Alex broke out into the biggest smile he had ever seen. He practically skipped all the way back to his dorm, talking about everything and anything. Aaron just listened until he tumbled over the topic of the paranormal.

“Oh, and do you believe in the supernatural? You know, like ghosts and werewolves and vampires-?” Aaron’s face dropped as soon as the word left his mouth. He tried to remain calm and brush it off.

“I-uh yeah. Um, I never really thought about it, but I guess I do.” For all of Alex’s faults he had at least one virtue, his keen eye. He noticed everything, and right now, he noticed the sick look Aaron had on his face.

“Dude, are you like afraid of things like that? Shit, I’m sorry-”

“No! You’re fine, it’s not that. It’s … nothing.” Aaron trailed off. For a moment, he wanted to tell Alex. To finally be able to let go, to stop hiding for  _ once.  _ But then common sense flooded back in. Tell him? He barely knows the guy, and Aaron had heard too many stories about the Hunters to not be afraid of being outed. Instead, he smiled at Alex and walked into his dorm. 

“You have a single, lucky.” Aaron offered, trying to change the subject. Alex, surprisingly, left it alone. 

“I guess so. Means I have to cook for myself, though. Oh, are you hungry? I’ll cook something!” He didn't wait for Aaron’s response (which would have been a resounding no), Alex rushed to pull out two packets of beef flavor ramen noodles. He held them up to Aaron’s face and smiled, as if ramen noodles were something to be proud of. 

“Do you like beef flavor?”

“Never tried it,” Aaron said, eyes flitting an inch or two above Alex’s head. If he looked directly into his eyes, he’d probably expose him right then and there. 

“What? Never tried it? It’s the best flavor, trust me.” Alex put the noodles in the microwave and plopped down next to Aaron, who was typing on his laptop. 

“Wow, already working. That’s cool, I love to work. So, any ideas?” Aaron had barely opened the Google Doc. 

“I’ve got a few! We could do ‘The Normalization of Violence in Media and its Effects on Youth’ That sounds pretty smart, right?” Aaron nodded.

“It does sound pretty smart, but I don’t think that’s what Mr. Washington is looking for.” Alex’s head tilted to the side like a confused puppy dog.  _ That’s cute,  _ Aaron thought. 

“What is he looking for?” Aaron felt a bit self-conscious and he had no idea why. He fidgeted a bit in his seat which actually moved him closer to Alex.

“Seeing as we just started the year, maybe he wants something more personal. Like something you’re really interested in.” Alex nodded almost reluctantly, like he’d rather be incorrect than be proven wrong.

“That does make more sense, actually…” Alex trailed off and bit his lip in thought. Then, Aaron got to thinking. Would it be more suspicious if he avoided the topic of vampires? Was he already being suspicious? Or was he just overthinking everything? He couldn’t be entirely sure and his anxiety made him say something stupid. 

“You like vampires, right? We could do that.” Alex’s eyes lit up with happiness and he took Aaron’s computer off his lap to jot it down.

“Well, if we’re being specific, I like everything pertaining to the supernatural. Mostly because of my mom, she was really into that stuff. She taught me everything I know. She’s dead, by the way.” Aaron frowned, but Alex didn’t seem to be affected.

“Don’t feel bad. I’m fine.” Aaron just nodded and watched as Alex typed a quick little outline for their essay.

“My parents are dead, too.” 

“No way! What are the odds? I mean, they’re probably not that bad, but still!” Most people don’t bond over dead parents, but Alex was not most people. 

“She told me stories about them, you know. They have this little tale, The Vampyre and the Hunter. Scary stuff, supposed to dissuade vampire kids from venturing too far out. The Hunter will come out and stake you, as the legend goes. I’ve heard renditions where they torture you with garlic or burn you at the stake, which sucks because vampires don’t die from fire -- are you sure you’re okay?” Aaron felt like he was about to throw up. All this talk about vampires and how to kill them was hitting a little too close to home.

“Yeah, I’m good,” Aaron looked at his jeans, “is the ramen ready yet?” It was enough to distract Alex.

“Oh shit! I forgot!” He leapt up from the couch and produced two steaming hot bowls of human food. It burnt his hand and he cursed under his breath. Aaron couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh, you find this funny?” Alex tried to sound angry, but he was smiling brightly. Alex stepped closer to Aaron, incredibly close. Close enough that he could practically feel his breath on Aaron’s skin. He gulped inaudibly, thankfully.

“You have a really nice smile. You should do that more often.” A nervous chuckle. He was really  _ really _ close.

“T-thanks.” Aaron slipped out from the corner that Alex had pressed him into and opened a random cabinet.

“Forks! We need those to eat!” He turned around, holding every piece of cutlery. He was thankful for his dark complexion, it hid his blush. Alex materialized right behind him.

“Here, let me help you,” Alex whispered (seductively?) in his ear. Aaron jumped up and turned behind him, nicking Alex’s finger with a knife. A tiny red line appeared on his hand, blood.

“Fuck,” Alex cursed. Aaron turned around, the smell was intoxicating. He screwed his eyes shut.  _ Hold it in. Hold it in. Hold it in.  _ He could feel his teeth growing in his mouth, one pricked his tongue painfully. Alex put a hand on his shoulder. His voice sounded foggy and far away.

“Aaron!” Alex practically screamed his name into his ear, as if he’d been trying to get his attention for a while. His moment of temptation was long gone, but the look on Alex’s face was suspicious.

“Are you okay-?” Aaron cut him off hurriedly and pushed him away.

“Sorry, I have to go.” Aaron left his belongings in his hasty departure. Alex was left to look at Aaron’s form disappear, again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ca n I please learn how to write,,


	3. Nature Documentary?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They kiss!!! that's the cutest shit ive ever seen

Aaron spent the next day doing everything in his power to avoid Alex, but he was making it incredibly hard. He would purposely come in early, just so that he could sit next to Aaron, but strangely, he never spoke. He just stared at him ominously. He stared at him as if he knew something, and frankly, it was freaking Aaron out.

It was Day 2 of this routine when Alex finally spoke.

“Come over after this.” Aaron sensed that he really didn’t have a choice in the matter, but that didn’t stop him from dreading the end of the class. When Washington announced that class was dismissed, Alex gripped his wrist before he could run.

“Follow me.” Silence. All the way up until they were safe in Alex’s dorm. He shut the door behind them. Aaron stared down at his shoes.

“I know what you are.” Aaron didn’t dare to speak. Maybe he was too scared or maybe he just didn’t want to admit to it, but he didn’t want to speak at all.

“I think you’re a vampire, Aaron Burr.” Aaron eyes snapped up to meet Alex’s hard ones. He shuffled backwards until his back hit the door. Alex  only walked closer to him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“I think you do, though.” Aaron shook his head no. If Alex was going to continue to be this close to him, he wouldn’t be able to think at all.

“You always flinch when I bring up vampires and you  _ run away   _ when I bleed.” Alex took two steps closer to him, their noses were practically touching. Alex fished a razor out from his pocket and sliced a thin line on his thumb. 

“Alex, don’t-”

“Tell me to my face that you don’t want to drain me dry.” Aaron found a little bit of strength and tried to push him away. His arms felt weak.

“I don’t! Which is why you need to get away from me!” He hit against Alex’s chest, but he didn’t budge. For someone so small, he was very resilient. Alex lifted his bloodied hand up to Aaron’s face and waved it at him, as if he was a dog.  Then, an animal took over. Aaron moved lightning fast, pressing Alex up against the door, their positions switched. Alex’s face remained disturbingly calm. Aaron breathed in the sweet, sweet smell of human blood. He hadn’t had the real thing in  _ so long.  _  It wouldn't hurt to just take one sip. Aaron suddenly pulled his hands away from Alex’s shoulders, as if they’d been burnt.

“I could’ve actually…” Aaron trailed off, the energy he had burned away. 

“Killed me? But you didn’t.” Alex’s hand was bandaged and his face was less stony, almost caring. It made Aaron angry.

“I could’ve, you idiot! It’s not something you can just  _ control- _ ” Alex shook his head quickly. He placed steadying hands on Aaron’s shoulder, effectively stopping his escape attempts.

“You just controlled it. You just did, can’t you see that? You don’t have to live in hiding, Aaron, I can help you. Let me.” Alex moved to hold both of his hands. Aaron did want his help. Aaron did want to not feel scared all the time, but Aaron was smart, and he knew when things were too good to be true.

“You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.” Aaron started to pull his hands out of Alex’s, but he held on to them.

“I do. I know all about this stuff. I’m super smart, you know.” That made Aaron laugh, which made Alex smile. The idea of not being so alone all the time enticed him. Someone he could talk to when things got bad. Aaron would like that.

“Okay.” They got straight to work. Alex already had a questionnaire prepared, and he whipped it out now with practiced confidence.

“Question  _ numero uno,  _ Do you drink human blood?” Aaron thought he would feel uncomfortable answering questions like this, but surprisingly, he felt at home. It felt nice to not be constantly on guard.

“No. I stick to animals.”

“Doesn’t that make you weaker?” Alex questioned. He really did know his stuff.

“Yeah, but I don’t mind. I’d rather not be a murderer.” Alex gave him an incredulous look and jotted something down in the margin of his notepad. Aaron tried to be courteous and not lean over him to see what he wrote down. It was taking a lot of self-control.

“How long have you been a vampire?”

“Since birth.”

“I mean, how old are you?” Alex leaned in, probably expecting a huge number.

“Nineteen. Innates age normally, only the Turned don’t age.” Alex scribbles that down, too.

“Right, I knew that..” The evening was spent with Aaron answering more of Alex’s questions. Alex knew more about him than anyone else did, which wasn’t exactly saying much, but it did make Aaron feel warm. Aaron looked at his watch, 9:09pm.

“It’s kind of late, I should go back-”

“We don’t have classes tomorrow. Stay.” And with one word, Aaron did stay. Aaron opened his laptop and Alex popped popcorn as Netflix loaded. Aaron relaxed on his bed, it was too comfortable for a dorm. Alex was such a lucky bastard. A few minutes later, Alex slid in next to him, holding a bowl of delicious buttery goodness. Aaron paid him no mind, already clicking on his favorite nature documentary. Alex scrunched his nose up. 

“A nature documentary, seriously? You’re such a nerd.”

“Shut up.” Aaron waved a lazy hand in his direction to silence him, his eyes glued to the screen. Alex took this time to admire him. The way he was laying down made Aaron’s shirt ride up a bit, exposing a bit of smooth skin. Alex had to stop himself from reaching out and touching it. He was lost in thought of all the things that he would do to Aaron, when he finally turned back to look at him.

“You’re quiet. Are you okay?” The nerve.  _ No, I’m not okay. Stop being hot.  _

“I’m fine,” he managed to squeak out. Aaron paused the video right when the peacock began its mating dance. He leaned in close. Why did it seem like they were always closer than they needed to be? His heart started to be loud and fast, Alex wouldn’t be surprised if Aaron heard it.

“Are you sure?” He nodded his head quickly, so quickly that hair fell in front of his face. Aaron used a gentle hand to remove it, and tucked it safely behind his right ear. His hand brushed his skin and Alex’s breath hitched. He really couldn’t resist. He put two hands on either side of Aaron to steady himself before leaning in and capturing his lips. They were smooth and wet and tasted of cheap salty popcorn. Their lips melded together perfectly, and everything was so warm that Alex felt like he was going to melt right then and there. They kissed for a long time; Aaron pulled away first. Alex eyes opened slowly, he was still in a daze.  _ I just kissed Aaron.  _

“You just kissed me.” Aaron whispered. One hand flew up to his swollen lips that were slick with saliva. 

“I just kissed you.” They were both silent for a beat. A beat that seemed to stretch on for eternity. 

“I liked it,” they said in unison. Alex smiled drunkenly and pressed play on the nature documentary. After a few minutes, Alex heard light breathing and found Aaron fast asleep on his shoulder. He stood up slowly in order not to rouse him. He took off his shirt and put on pajama bottoms. Then he scooted back in beside him and fell asleep.


	4. Trust Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they have sex uwu  
> someone end my suffering lmao  
> I know I cant write steamy scenes well I've already been told

When Aaron woke up he was very, very confused. He was in a bed that he didn’t recognize, and he heard snoring emanating from beside him.  He slipped out of the bed and began to pace. He was sure he hadn’t drank, and yet there were still holes in his memory. His sister had always told him he got it from Mom.  _ Do you know how many times she forgot me at school?   _ Aaron couldn’t be sure though, he was too young when they had died. So now, Aaron was pacing  _ and  _ feeling like he was about to cry. Alex sat up from bed and stared at him for a while before making his presence known.

“Aaron, what are you doing?” Aaron whipped around to see a shirtless Alex in plaid sweats. Then, he turned back around just as quickly.

“You’re not decent!” He shouted in shock. Then, something dawned on him.

“Oh no, did we -- did I..?” He couldn’t even get the words out. Alex was confused for a second, too, but then he realized as well.

“No, we did not have sex.” Aaron breathed out a sigh of relief. They were both silent.

“Do you have a shirt on?”

“Yeah.” Aaron turned around slowly to see that, indeed, he was now fully clothed. He sat back on his bed where he was soon joined by Alex. 

“Speaking of sex, would you possibly want to do that with me?” Aaron was stunned speechless. Alex took pity on him and filled in.

“I want to know if you are sexually attracted to guys.” Alex reached out to caress Aaron’s cheek. “I am attracted to you, just so you know.” Aaron stumbled over his words awkwardly. Sex wasn’t something he thought about often, if at all. There were always more pressing matters that needed to be dealt with, like school and vampirism.

“I don’t really know. I mean, I’ve never really thought about it and I don’t think I really want to think about it, especially because I’m so young and I should really be focusing on my studies and getting good grades-” Alex started laughing hysterically out of nowhere. Aaron was, understandably, a bit peeved.

“What’s so funny?” Alex regained his breath, and then tried to put on a serious face. Then he started laughing all over again.

“You’re a virgin!” His voice went up at least two octaves at the last word. 

“Yeah, okay. I know it’s weird -”

“Like, holy shit. It would make sense if you were ugly, but no, you’re hot. This whole situation is just-” And he began to laugh again. Aaron was beginning to feel very self-conscious. Was he supposed to have already lost his virginity? Was he a late bloomer? He wiggled his toes nervously. It would not be a good time to mention Alex had been his first kiss. Alex wrapped his hands around his neck and hugged him there.

“Hey,” he drew out, “I’m just kidding, you know that right? Let’s get breakfast to make it up to you.” Several minutes later, Aaron found himself walking beside Alex on their way to a Waffle House.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, food doesn’t do anything for vampires. So why do you eat it?” Aaron thought about that for a while. He really didn’t have a reason for eating it.

“It tastes nice.” Alex smiled really brightly at that for no apparent reason, but it made Aaron smile, too. Just as they walked in, someone walked out. Long blonde hair and an angry look on her face. She paused in front of the pair and stared Aaron down. His heart began to race as her hands reached out towards him. He was frozen in his spot, her glowing blue eyes hypnotized him.  Her nails had just only faintly scratched his neck when they were swatted away by Alex.

“Get your hands off my boyfriend, thanks.” Alex pushed past her into the restaurant and Aaron watched as she faded away into the crowd. Aaron led him to the very back, obviously not wanting to be overheard. His heart was still racing. She had been so close. Too close. Aaron’s nails were digging into his skin, drawing blood.

“Aaron!” Alex’s hands took his to stop him from harming himself. “Who was that woman and why are you freaking out?” Alex wondered for a moment if the word “boyfriend” had scared him. Of course, they weren’t together yet, but what was he supposed to say? Get your hands off my romantic interest? No. He could only hope that Aaron was cool with it. 

“She knows. She knows and she’s after me.  Sally said there weren’t anymore of her here-” Alex gripped his wrist tightly.

“Breathe with me. Hold for four, out for five.” When Aaron was calm enough to speak, Alex asked again.

“Who was she?” Aaron shook his head.

“A Hunter, but that can’t be right. How did they find me here?” Aaron breathed out a string of curses and began to dig his nails into his skin again. Alex stopped him. Hunters were supernatural beings that shared the powers of vampires, but lacked the need for blood. They were a mutation, evolving from vampires, yet turning against them. Their ultimate goal? To eradicate all vampires and reign supreme. 

“Aaron, how do you know for sure?” He shook his head over and over.

“I don’t, but the way she looked at me…” he trailed off when he saw the waitress walk over to them.

“What can I get you?” She spoke in a sweet Southern drawl. Aaron tried to smile, but it turned into a grimace instead. Alex took over for him.

“Coffee and two orders of the ‘Buttermilk Dream.’” She smiled, glanced at Aaron, and left.  

“Thank you.” 

“No problem.” They sat in an uncomfortable silence, at least it was uncomfortable for Alex. Aaron couldn’t seem to stop tearing into his own flesh, so Alex was forced to hold them in his from across the table. Aaron didn’t look up when a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes were placed in front of him. He spoke up suddenly.

“I don’t want you to be alone. Ever.” Alex nodded slowly, but he was confused. He swallowed the bit of eggs he had in his mouth.

“Why?”

“She could come after you, too. She could hurt you just to lure me out.” Alex nodded a little faster this time. He didn’t want to tell him that he was afraid. Aaron was already a mess as it was, and telling him would only freak him out more. He bottled up all his fear and tried to stay calm. 

The next day, they turned in their essay on vampires. A 99%.  _ You went over the page limit  _ was written in red ink on the rubric. Alex smiled and turned to Aaron to show them their grade. He was deep in thought, though. Alex just allowed him to be alone within his own mind. He took carefully detailed notes and wrote as neatly as he could. Aaron would need to borrow them. When class was over, Aaron didn’t stir. The room was empty, save for Mr. Washington.

“Aaron!” Alex whisper-shouted, and art form he had mastered at a young age. Aaron looked up at him confused. Then, he stood slowly and gripped Alex’s shoulder. Unbeknownst to them, Washington was eyeing them curiously. His feet were wobbly and he leant into Alex to steady himself.

“Alex, I’m going to faint. Be ready to catch me, okay?” Just like that, Aaron dropped like a stone into Alex’s arms. Washington decided to take action. He took Aaron’s limp body from Alex’s hands and held him upright.

“I’ll take him to the wellness center, you can head back.” Alex shook his head furiously. He wasn’t going to leave Aaron, not when he was like this. Plus, he had warned him not to go anywhere alone.

“Please, let me come.” Washington nodded and motioned for him to open the door. The center was only a short walk next door. Once inside, they were greeted by a short, peppy girl who wore bright yellow ribbons in her hair.

“Oh gosh, he’s not conscious,” said the shorter one. The tall Asian helped him onto a bed and gently roused him. He came to, slightly disoriented.

“Hello there. My name is Eliza Schuyler. This is my sister, Peggy. Can you tell me your name?” Her smile was very sweet. Alex felt kind of useless in the back, so he moved closer so that he could at least hold his hand.

“Aaron Burr.”

“And your mom’s name?” Something like pain ghosted over his face, but it was so quick that Alex was sure no one else noticed, except him of course.

“Esther.” She smiled warmly at him.

“That’s a nice name. Your favorite color?” It was Aaron’s turn to smile.

“I’ve never been able to decide.” Eliza laughed at that before checking his eyes with a penlight.

“Everything checks out. When was the last time that you ate?” Aaron smiled sheepishly and glanced at Alex, who had a knowing and  _ angry  _ look in his eye.

“Kind of a long time ago, like maybe two days…?” Eliza gasped in horror, and Peggy just laughed as she handed him a CapriSun.

“Well, maybe  _ that’s  _ why you fainted!” Aaron accepted the juice gratefully, it cooled his throat. Washington and the Schuylers dispersed, leaving them alone in the room. Silence.

“Don’t be mad.” Aaron sighed.

“Why shouldn’t I be? Why haven’t you been eating? Newsflash, but vampires actually die if they don’t feed!” Alex whispered angrily. Aaron sighed again. He knew all of this anger came from a place of concern, but that didn’t mean that he wanted Alex to be his mom.

“Well, it’s kind of hard to hunt when I might be killed if I stray too far.” Alex’s face fell and he gripped his hand.

“You should have told me. I could’ve gotten some for you or something.” Aaron shook his head.

“Alex, you can’t hunt. Plus, I’m not going to ask you to do something like that for me.” Alex shifted closer to him. Life was really unfair, he concluded. 

“I could make one of those traps that catch rabbits. It can’t be that hard! A YouTube video will teach me.” Aaron smiled sadly. Suddenly, he looked very, very old.

“Don’t worry about it, Alex. I’ll go out tonight.” Aaron tried to stand, but he fell into Alex again. Aaron muttered a curse under his breath. Alex helped him up anyway. As they were walking out, Eliza stopped them.

“He still can’t stand on his own? Maybe you should  take him to a hospital-”

“No, no! I’m fine, it’s just my legs do this thing where they just kind of stop working sometimes, it’s totally normal.” Aaron lied unconvincingly. Eliza nodded, unsure, but allowed him to leave anyway. The walk to Alex’s was a long one, and Aaron felt himself drain of energy the whole time. By the time they got to his door, Aaron had broken out in a cold sweat and was breathing unevenly. Alex did something drastic. He placed Aaron carefully on the bed and retrieved a knife. He walked back to Aaron and knelt in front of him.

“Alex, no.”

“You need to eat or you’re going to die.” Alex winced as sliced his skin open, the blood began to flow immediately.

“Drink.” Alex shoved his hand to his face. Aaron shook his head, so he forced his hand into his mouth. First he resisted, but he slowly began to suckle, almost like a baby.

“Good, good.” A few minutes passed in this calm manner, Then,  Aaron’s eyes flew open in panic as if he had just realized what he’d done. He took Alex’s hand out of his mouth, horrified. 

“Alex, I’m so sorry...” He was crying, Alex could tell that much, but he was also a little lightheaded, so his vision kind of blurred together.

“I’m fine, just a little woozy.” Aaron reached out to touch him, but he stopped himself. He had no right.

“I should go.” Aaron stood up abruptly and took several steps back. He was afraid that one day, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself. Distance between them would be better for Alex in the long run.

“No, you should stay. I just saved your life, so you kinda owe me.” Aaron shook his head and backed up again, but Alex only moved towards him.

“You need to learn how to trust yourself and trust me, too.” Alex’s breath was hot against skin. Alex traced lines into the patch of skin just below his collarbone, and proceeded to place a sloppy, wet kiss there.

“Do you trust me?” Aaron nodded, he didn’t trust his voice enough to speak. Alex pressed him up against the wall and kissed him, hard. Aaron struggled to keep up, everything was very new to him. He felt awkward (he had no idea where to place his hands), and they naturally settled on cupping Alex’s face. Alex’s hand placement was bit lower, his thumbs pressing in the hollows of Aaron’s hips. He gasped and Alex slipped his tongue into his mouth, dancing passionately with his own. Alex walked backwards towards the bed and fell down on it, dragging Aaron on top of him. His  lips separated from his and found the spot on Aaron’s neck that made him shiver. He played there for a while before his hand ghosted over his  zipper. Aaron’s hand found his and clutched it.

“Do you want me to stop?” Alex asked. The last thing he wanted to do was take advantage of him. Aaron shook his head.

“No, just go slower. I’ve never done this before.” Aaron whispered quietly. He let Alex’s hand go and allowed himself to be helped out of his pants. Alex pressed a long, sweet kiss on his lips before moving southward. He scratched lightly on the inside of his thighs, which elicited a quiet moan from Aaron. Alex wrapped his hand his dick and began to stroke him slowly. He leant back up to kiss him, swallowing all of his pleasure noises. 

“Do you have any idea how perfect you are?”  Aaron couldn’t respond before another shiver ran up his spine. 

“Alex, I’m…” He only picked up the pace, moving his hand up and down harder and faster. 

“Are you gonna come? I want to see you come.” Aaron’s toes curled up and he felt his breaths come in uneven short little puffs. Aaron took Alex’s face into his hands and kissed him as he came. His vision turned to a bright white and he felt a few small tremors run through his body. Alex pulled back first and began to jerk himself off. Aaron stopped his hand.

“Let me.” Aaron tentatively put his mouth on his dick. Alex let out a deep sigh, pleasure coursing through his veins. It gave Aaron a bit more confidence and he endeavored to go deeper. Alex’s dick was pressing soft kisses at the back of Aaron’s throat, and each time it touched back there, he gagged.

“You have no idea how hot that sounds.” That made Aaron feel really warm. He took his mouth of his dick and just used his hand for a while. All of a sudden, Aaron felt very embarrassed, Alex was lasting a lot longer than him. At that moment, Alex gripped his shoulders. Aaron put his dick back into his mouth bobbed his head up and down, with his eyes looking into Alex’s all the while.

“Fuck, don’t look at me like that…” Then, without warning, Alex came into Aaron’s mouth. Aaron flinched in surprise, but kept it in his mouth. 

“Du I spih ih ow?” Aaron asked, his voice garbled by the liquid. 

“You could swallow it.” It took him two long gulps, it was very sticky stuff. Alex slid under the covers next to Aaron and nuzzled into his side.

“Do you forgive me now?” Aaron smiled, but did not respond. That night, he slept the best he had ever in his life.


	5. Levies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron is hurt

Life was good. Alex was in love, his grades were great, and Aaron had a guaranteed meal every night thanks to his trap. Anyone could imagine Alex’s surprise when Aaron became distant. It started with him sleeping at his own dorm and sitting next to Angelica instead of him in class. Was he jealous? Of course, but did he have a right to question him? Not really. They had never really said they were together exclusively, so Aaron had every right to back out.  That didn’t stop Alex from watching him, though. He was hyper aware of every time that Aaron laughed or his eyes scrunched up when he smiled, and each time that he noticed, his heart broke a little bit more. There Aaron was, a few feet from him, but a million worlds apart.

“We’d like to welcome Ms. Reena Giles to our class, an Australian transfer.” Alex’s blood ran cold, this Reena, this was the hunter Aaron had recognized before. She was really serious about tracking Aaron down. Anyone else would have quit and moved on to easier prey, wouldn’t they? Alex felt his stomach squeeze and turn into an uncomfortable position. He followed her gaze up to meet Aaron’s wide ones. 

“I’m very happy to be here.” Reena drawled in a practiced accent. Her shoes clacked against the floor as she took her seat next to Aaron. Whether Alex was afraid for himself or afraid for Aaron was impossible to tell. The only thing he knew for certain was that he was afraid. The class seemed to go on for hours on end, and each little sound that came from Aaron’s corner alerted Alex. He thought, no he was  _ sure _ , that he heard Aaron groan in pain. He whipped around and faced them to see Aaron with his head on the desk and Reena staring attentively at the board. She took breaks to scribble something down in her notepad. 

“Class is dismissed,” Alex rose quickly to meet Aaron, only to be interrupted by Washington: “Alex, stay. I’d like to speak with you.” Alex's eyes glanced back to Aaron, whose wrist was in Reena’s death grip.

“I-um, I really can’t-” He watched as the Hunter dragged Aaron out of his seat and through the door. Aaron looked… limp. He wasn’t fighting back at all, she had definitely done something.

“Alex, listen to me-” Aaron was almost out of sight. Alex couldn’t leave him, he had no idea what the woman would do to him. He pushed past Mr. Washington and ran after them. He glanced around, but they both were long gone. Alex started to hyperventilate and his vision blurred around the edges. He really had just watched as Aaron was dragged away to his death, his murder. HIs chest felt tight. Why the hell was it so hard to breathe? 

“Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God-” Washington came up from behind him and placed a steadying hand on his shoulder.

“Son, you need to tell me what’s wrong or I can’t help you.” Alex was tempted to tell him, but decided against it quickly. Tell him what exactly? That his vampire boyfriend just got carried away by a blonde Australian who wants him dead? He shook his head quickly. It wasn’t his secret to tell.

“No, nothing’s wrong. Let go of me, I really need to go-”

“You’re in no shape to go anywhere, young man.” Alex tried to wrestle himself out of his hold, but he was much too strong and Alex was much too weak.

“I really can’t -- please let me go. He might be in danger -- I don’t know -- Just let me go!” Alex finally shrugged him off and ran in the opposite direction.  _ If I was a crazy murderer, where would I murder someone?  _ Alex turned a sharp right and headed straight for the woods. It was deadly quiet, and the canopy was so thick that it might as well have been night. The underbrush was thick, and Alex had trouble walking through the dead foliage that littered the forest ground. Wind whistled through the trees ominously and Alex shivered. He wished he had brought a jacket. He walked a bit further, but was frozen in his tracks when he heard a scream, a scream that sounded too much like Aaron to ignore. He broke out into sprint in the direction of the noise.

“Aaron! Aaron! Where are you?” Tree branches whipped violently and left stinging scratches on his face, but Alex could barely feel them. He was getting closer to the voice. Another bloodcurdling scream, a scream that made Alex want to scream. Tears blurred his vision significantly. He was a tattered mess when he found Aaron, his face and clothes torn by the nettles. Aaron’s body was heaped over itself and covered in dirt and blood. Alex dropped to his knees and felt for a pulse. He tried his neck, even though he wasn’t really sure if the hand placement was right, he felt nothing. He flipped Aaron’s entire body over and pressed his ear to his chest. A faint, barely-there heartbeat. Alex cried hot tears of relief and he shakily opened his phone to dial 911.

“I-I need an ambulance. My friend he’s hurt, he’s alive but I don’t know for how long and -- somewhere in the woods off campus I don’t know -- he needs help right now!” Alex’s breaths were short and ragged. He tried to take a deep breath and leant in again to hear Aaron’s heartbeat. The faint little thuds calmed him down a bit. He tried to focus on that sound, but a few minutes later, blaring ambulance sirens filled the air. Alex sat up abruptly when the vehicle stopped in front of him. Two women walked out and helped Aaron onto a stretcher. Alex stayed behind and watched everything happen around him. It was like he wasn’t even there. They were about to close the back doors and drive off when Alex intervened.

“Wait! Wait, let me come with him!” One of the EMTs gave him a stern look.

“What’s your relationship to him? Just friends?” She squinted her eyes at him. Alex felt a bit offended, but he didn’t know why and he didn’t care.

“He’s my boyfriend, so please,” the other woman quickly motioned for him to get in. He hurriedly settled in beside Aaron and clutched his hand. It was deathly cold, so cold that it made Alex want to let go. His hand felt too much like a dead person’s, and he would be lying if he said it didn’t scare him.

“He’s going to be okay, right? You’re going to fix him?” The woman smiled sadly nd gripped his hand.

“We can’t promise anything,” and with that, she returned to her work. The two worked together like a perfectly oiled machine, recording his blood pressure, heart rate, Glasgow Coma Scale Rating, and oxygen saturation levels in record time. Alex just sat there and watched a Aaron was connected to machines and an ambu bag. He wanted to look away, he didn’t want to see Aaron looking so broken, but his eyes could not stop staring. 

“Sir, you need to let go.” It was the same EMT who had spoken with in the ambulance. Alex’s eyes snapped back into focus and he released Aaron from his iron grip.

“Sorry.” He mumbled almost incoherently. They wheeled him away into an operating room and Alex was left alone. The chair that he was sitting in was incredibly uncomfortable. Someone would think that they’d try to make everything as cozy as possible, to try to make mourning people feel at home. Instead, they opted for cheap lousy furniture to save money. Maybe that was just the nature of capitalism. Whatever it was, it made Alex want to cry. He wasn’t exactly sure of how much time had passed, but every moment he checked the clock, his chest burned a little more. And the burning feeling in his chest was overwhelming, so it must have been a while. A few moments later (it could have been hours), a woman in scrubs walked out with a smile on her face. Alex couldn’t reciprocate the gesture.

“Aaron is in critical condition, but he’s stable. He suffered through … a lot, but it’s safe to say that we’re out of the woods.” Alex sighed in relief, and he let out the tension in his back that he didn’t know was there.

“Can I,” he cleared his throat and tried again, “can I see him?” She nodded and motioned for Alex to follow her. They winded through hallways that all looked the same and made Alex feel dumb for not memorizing. They stood in the doorframe together and the nurse muttered something about privacy and left him alone. There was Aaron, covered in bandages and looking fragmented, not whole. Alex wasn't sure why he felt like he wanted to run away, but he did. He ran all the way out of the hospital, and even a little ways after that.  Alex ran until his lungs threatened to burst out of his chest, until his legs begged for reprieve, until his mind felt like it wasn't going to explode anymore.  He plopped down on a bench and tried to get his breathing back to normal. Then, guilt flooded through the levies that Alex was sure that he had put up. He had just left Aaron all alone there to suffer, like an  _ ass.  _ He slapped himself in the face over and over until his right cheek was angry and smarting. Could he really be mad if Aaron didn’t want to be his boyfriend if he never acted like one? Alex stood up and walked back towards the hospital, hoping that Aaron did not wake up alone. 


	6. Enter: Sarah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah returns, bringing with her all of her attitude.

Alex sat idly on his phone waiting for Aaron to wake up. The steady beating of his monitor was a nice background soundtrack to Tetris. He sighed and reached out to caress Aaron’s face. He let out a groan and swatted his hand away.

“Not now, Debbie. I’m tired.” Alex wracked his brain for a Debbie. His younger sister. Alex smiled a little at that. Aaron was too cute.

“Well, I’m not Debbie, I’m Alex. I hope you’re not too disappointed?” Aaron eyes opened with a start and his hands lurched out to pinch Alex’s cheek.

“You’re really here…” He muttered quietly. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and turned to face Alex fully.

“Yes, I’m actually here for you like the great boyfriend that I am,” Alex’s voice took on a worried tone, “did you expect me to leave you alone?” Well, he had left him there, but only for a while. Alex considered himself a redeemed man. 

“No, it’s not that,” Aaron smiled a little, “are we boyfriends now?” Alex understandably became a bit flustered. He reached out to touch Aaron’s hand, and this time, Aaron squeezed back. Alex’s breath hitched, the few days which Aaron had ignored him affected him a lot more than he had originally thought. Just feeling his skin on his, it was like a cure. It made Alex feel like everything was okay and that Aaron wasn’t being preyed on and that they were just two regular people in love. He wished he could live in that feeling. The moment was tender and good, but also fleeting.  Aaron grin dropped to a frown, the events that led to his hospitalization hit him like a truck. 

“Where’s my phone?” Alex fished it out of his pocket and handed it to him. He had twenty missed calls and fifty or so text messages.

“Fuck.” Alex reached out to touch Aaron's hand again, to rekindle what they’d just had, but he moved away. Alex pretended to not be hurt.

“Aaron, what’s going on? What happened in those woods?” He ignored him completely. He opened each and every voicemail that he was left and read every text. By the end, he ripped the IV out of his arm and made a move to step out of the bed, but Alex held him down.

“What the hell are you doing? You need to rest!” Aaron gripped Alex’s shoulders so tightly that he was sure they would leave bruises.

“They took Debbie. They took her -- I have to -” Alex winced, his grip was only getting tighter.

“I understand that. I do, but you’re in no shape to go out.” Aaron dropped his head into Alex’s shoulder and cried a spot of hot tears into his shirt.

“They took her. What do I do? What do I do?” Alex had no idea what to say, so he just continued to rub soothing circles into his back. How many times had Aaron saved him? Protected him from supernatural danger? He had to do  _ something.  _

“I’ll find your sister.” Aaron pulled out of their embrace and looked at Alex with hard eyes.

“No, you’re not. It’s too dangerous.”

“I’m willing to risk it.” Aaron shook his head and pushed even farther away from him. It seemed like all he was doing lately was pushing away.

“Alex, they’ll kill you. You’re human.” 

“And? That means she’d underestimate me. I can get Debbie and bounce out.” Alex was even slowly convincing himself. He grew more confident which each word.

“The Hunters, they’re ruthless. They took my parents and I can’t -- I won’t let them take you.” Alex waited patiently for Aaron to finish, the look on his face said that he had something more that he wanted to say.

“Alex, if you value what we have here, you’ll listen to me. You won’t go.” Maybe it was something in the desperate pitch that overcame Aaron’s voice, or the frantic look in his eye, but it made Alex pause. Aaron was right, his life _ was  _ at stake, but did it really matter? Alex had never even met Debbie, so why was he about to lay his life down for her? He had no idea, but something pulled at his heart anyway. He couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t do anything.  _ Somebody that was so close to Aaron _ , Alex couldn’t bear to think about her dying. And isn’t it better to die than to live life tormented by the what-ifs? Alex slowly stood, and something like disbelief fell over Aaron’s face. 

“Alexander, do not.” Alex felt a ghostly shiver run down his spine, he hated how Aaron said his full name, void of any warmth. Alex gave him a final look before turning around, leaving Aaron alone in the hospital room. Aaron felt a tear fall down his face, and he wiped it away angrily. He didn’t want to be sad, he wanted to be  _ mad.  _  He wanted to feel white-hot bitter anger, but all that came was an overwhelming sadness and worry. He picked at his skin idly before he sprung into action. He dialed Sarah’s number and waited expectantly as the call rang. Three rings, four, then she picked up.

“Aaron! Please tell me you’re heading home! I need someone here, I can’t stand these empty halls-” Aaron shushed her and she fell silent, save for the whimpers and sobs that echoed over the line.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can. I just need to get out of the hospital.” Sarah’s breath choked in her throat. She felt a dark chill rack though her body, robbing her of any warmth that she pretended to have.

“Hospital? Aaron, they got to you, too? I’m coming over there. Do not move. I’m serious.” Sarah ended the call with a final click, and Aaron as left to hear the dull buzz of a disconnected line. He placed his phone down, took several breaths, then picked it up again to call Alex. Within seconds, he picked up.

“Aaron, I’m so sorry-”

“That doesn’t matter now.” A new flame of vengeance and righteous hate was kindled within him. He wanted nothing more than to see the head of that Reena girl roll. 

“What do you mean ‘it doesn’t matter?'”

“Come back here. We’ll get Debbie back together.” Aaron ended the call and tried to gain control of the fire that was building in his belly. He was mad, he was definitely angry now. He could barely contain himself, to be honest. When Sarah walked through the door, he jumped. After locking eyes with him, she quickened into a run and wrapped her arms around him. Aaron breathed in the scent of her familiar honeysuckle perfume. It smelled of home and good things. It made his heart hurt to remember that they were not here for a pleasant reunion.

“Aaron, I swear I had no idea. Uncle said there were no more of their kind here. If I knew you'd be in danger by going to college here, I would have never let you go. I’m so sorry.” Sarah was the first to pull away from the hug.

“None of that matters, though.” She pulled out three large tomes out of her bag. She blew the dust off one entitled “Private Journal of Dr. Edgar Elope.” Aaron raised his eyebrows at her questioningly.

“Sarah, how is this going to help us?” She ignored him and flipped to a dog-eared page in the book. Inside were hundreds of annotations, some translations, and even related lore. Aaron leaned over his sister to get a better look. Her finger was pressed to a specific piece of text, and she began to read it aloud.

“May 18th - Twenty-Eighth Journal Entry. They are much more powerful than us, but they do have weaknesses. A silver weapon will make them susceptible to any death an ordinary human would have suffered. Human tears seem to subdue them, but they will be back to full strength in less than an hour. I will continue my studies of the specimen that I have been provided with.” Aaron paused to process the information.

“He said they were immortal. He said there was no way to kill them.”

“Well, our dear old uncle lied.” Sarah scowled at the thought of that man. She had always been  quick to hate, and he had tested her patience since the moment they arrived there as kids. It almost makes her wonder how a kid like Debbie could have half of his genetic material. Aaron shook his head.

“And? We can’t touch silver, either. It’ll burn my hands off.” Sarah’s eyes glinted with mischief.

“That’s what I thought as well, but I paid a visit to Laurens, you know that crazy old woman, and she gave me,” she paused as she rustled through her bag. Shortly thereafter, she produced a pair old long, dark purple gloves that had little jewels on them that gleamed in the fluorescent hospital  lighting. She laughed at the look on Aaron’s face.

“Those are beautiful, thanks for sharing them, but I don’t see-” Sarah slipped them on and then proceeded to pull out a sterling silver bracelet and place it on her clothed wrist.

“I knew you wouldn’t believe me if I didn’t bring proof.” Aaron was staring at the gloves in awe as Alex walked into the room.

“Aaron, I’m so sorry and stupid and -- who are you?” Alex froze and his muscles tensed, he felt himself launching into fight-or-flight mode. Ever since his run-in with Reena, he’s been unnaturally alert. 

“Relax, it’s my sister.” Sarah gave him a hard look before standing up and cornering Alex against the closed door.

“Who are you? And why the hell are you here?” Aaron felt very small.

“I’m Aaron’s boyfriend.” Sarah rolled her eyes, annoyed. She pushed one sharp, red fingernail into Alex’s sternum, causing him to flinch in pain.

“Well, this is a family matter. You’re not needed, so you can find you're way out.” Alex opened his mouth as if he was about to speak, but closed it instead.

“Do you even know Debbie? We’re obviously trying to get over this trauma as a family and you think you can just butt in and --”

“Sarah, stop!” Both Alex and Sarah whipped around to face Aaron, their eyes full of regret and worry. Sarah walked over and took a seat on the edge of his bed.

“What is it, Aaron?” They said in unison. Aaron crossed his arms over his chest and shied away from Sarah’s touch.

“I asked for Alex to come here, he deserves to be here as much as anyone.” Sarah’s breathing hitched, obviously offended. 

“Aaron, how can you say that-?”

“This is the first time I’ve heard from you in months. You never picked up your phone when I called, never returned my texts... I felt so alone, and then Alex…” Aaron trailed off, even though he didn’t even need to finish. Sarah looked over to Alex and rolled her eyes again.

“Look, I’m sorry. Thanks for taking care of my brother.” Alex just nodded, slightly stunned. Sarah leaned back into Aaron’s shoulder, socially exhausted by apologizing. There was a short, uncomfortable silence that Alex ended.

“So what was the plan to get Debbie back? And kick some Hunter ass?” Sarah smiled sinisterly and reached for her bag.

“Now you’re talking.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two uploads today bc I forgot yesterday oops


	7. I Love You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They kiss again!

“Pause, what the hell is a Den?” Alex asked. Both Aaron and Sarah rolled their eyes. Alex scoffed in annoyance.

“Sorry, I’m not up to date on all the latest vampire knowledge.” Sarah smirked and Aaron felt a bit of pity on him.

“A Den is like the headquarters of the Pack. If they’re keeping Debbie in the country, it would be there.” Alex nodded, pretending like he knew what a pack was. Sarah snickered as she picked something off her nails.

“A Pack is a group of Hunters, by the way. You looked confused.”

“I wasn’t confused! It’s called context clues!”

“Oh, really? Because it was written all over your dumb fac-” Aaron sighed dramatically, effectively silencing them both.

“Can you guys just get along for five minutes? We have Debbie to think about, remember?” That made Sarah sober up considerably. She opened her paper map and drafted a route through the forest, the same forest that Aaron had been attacked in. As Sarah marked turns in her chart, she began to walk them through the plan of action.

“Since this is where Aaron was attacked,” she marked the spot with a red ‘X’, “this should be the first place we look. I’m betting that’s where the Den is.” Aaron nodded, but Alex wasn’t totally sure. Aaron had just been hospitalized by  _ one  _ Hunter, and they were about to walk into a whole group of them.

“What do we do if we run into a whole gang of them?” Sarah looked at him like he was stupid.

“We fight.” 

“That doesn’t seem dangerous to you?” Sarah’s eyes turned steely and full of silent anger.

“I’m willing to risk everything for my sister. If you’re not, don’t bother coming.” Now, that made Alex freeze. Was he ready to give up his life for someone he didn’t even know? He looked from Sarah’s cold eyes to Aaron’s pleading ones.  _ I’m probably just getting cold feet,  _ he reasoned. There would be no real danger. He had two vampires to protect him. Alex always had a nasty habit of deceiving himself.

“Of course I’m ready.” Sarah glowered at him for a long moment, then turned away.

“Fine then. It’s settled. You all will come home with me. We’ll rest, regroup, and then leave bright and early tomorrow.” Sarah started to stand up, Aaron cleared his throat. She raised her eyebrows at him.

“What is it?”

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” He motioned to the IV in his arm. Sarah slapped a hand over her eyes in realization. 

“Oh, I can’t believe I forgot.” She bit into her own flesh and a black liquid flowed from the wound. She lifted it to Aaron’s face. 

“What the fuck-” Alex started.

“Drink up!” Aaron drank the blood, Alex didn’t want to refer to it as blood because it definitely  _ wasn’t,  _ and color returned to his face. Then, Aaron sat up and leapt out of bed as if he was not just in surgery.

“What the hell?” Aaron smiled at him, a genuine smile. Most of them had been faked, as Alex could always tell. Debbie’s kidnapping was hitting him the hardest out of anyone.

“Perks of being a vampire. Let’s go.” Aaron and Sarah walked out at a brisk pace, leaving Alex dumbstruck in the hospital room.

“Well, are you coming?” Sarah called in after him. Alex nodded quickly and willed his weak knees to support his weight.

“So, what happens if I drink that stuff,” Alex whispered into Aaron’s ear, “do I heal, too?” Aaron shook his head solemnly, disrupting the light-hearted mood that Sarah and Alex had tried so hard to cultivate.

“You’ll turn into a vampire. Like me.” Aaron’s face distorted as if he had just bit into a particularly sour lemon, as if the thought of vampirism disgusted him so thoroughly. It concerned Alex. He reached to touch Aaron’s hand, but he shied away. It seemed like every time Alex thought they were moving past this insecurity, they always came right back. He tried his very best to remain patient. 

“Why are you saying that like you’re ashamed of it?” Aaron shook his head.

“I don’t know. I'm sorry, just forget I ever said anything.” Alex wanted to say something, wanted to prod and pry, but he stopped himself. Aaron would speak to him when he was ready, and he tried to keep that in mind. He kept thinking about that the whole ride to Sarah’s house, where Aaron didn’t say a single word to him. Sarah was the first to break the silence.

“We should all turn in. We have a long day ahead of us,” she squeezed Aaron’s arm comfortingly and then retreated to her room. Alex was already making himself comfortable on the sofa.

“Lay with me.” Alex hadn’t expected that, but there Aaron was, holding his hand out to him. He sat up straighter from the couch, approaching the situation with caution.

“Do you want me to?” Aaron smiled sweetly and Alex’s knees felt weak.

“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t.” Alex stood up to follow Aaron into his room. The walls were a dark blue with a sophisticated white trim, but the shelves were lined with action figures and comic books. Alex stopped to inspect one, and Aaron slid up from behind to rest his head on his shoulder. 

“Why do you have these?” Alex asked, a little teasing in his tone. Aaron buried his face deeper into Alex’s shirt and released a choked sob. Alex whipped around to face him, and held him in his arms.

“I’m sorry, was it something I said?  I’m such an idiot-” Aaron shook his head quickly, silencing Alex’s rambling.

“Don’t talk now.” Alex felt him lean in, felt his warm breath on his skin. His heart was jumping out of his chest, and he felt like he was about to drop right then and there. They stood there, centimeters away from touching. Centimeters away from Aaron’s soft lips that were so pliable and warm when locked with his. The intensity of the moment was dizzying.

“Are you ready for me to-” Aaron cut him off, nodding his head quickly.

“Yes.” He said breathlessly, and their lips connected. It was slow and sweet, and only love was behind it.  It made Aaron feel safe in Alex’s arms, something he hadn’t felt in a long time. Alex cupped his face and Aaron sighed into his mouth. 

“I love you. I love you so much.” Aaron didn’t respond, but he allowed himself to be lost in his touch. Each caress felt like an electric shock running through his veins and making him feel delicate. Alex’s hand drifted to Aaron’s pants, where he stopped him.

“I’m sorry.” Alex kissed him again.

“Don’t be. I can wait. I’ll wait for forever until you’re ready.” Aaron nodded and slipped out from under Alex. A few minutes later, Alex heard his soft snores, but he remained wide awake. He was well aware of the fact that he would not be able to sleep that night. 

**Author's Note:**

> tysm for reading my shit!!!  
> leave comments and kudos bc i crave validation <3


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